2009年2月3日星期二

venal, venial, jealousy, misanthropy, whiner

Chudge, nowtrage and plebbledash - just three of the words to ...
guardian.co.uk - UK
This week, in a break from my traditional self-centred misanthropic festival of whining, here's an abridged version of the New Media Dictionary; ...

Understanding jealousy

Occasional jealousy is natural and can help keep a relationship alive, but if it becomes intense and irrational it can very destructive.

Stevenson’s “Treasure Island” was, above all, a romance, but Silver’s world, as imagined by Chupack, is brutal and essentially venal. Money — or the lack thereof — haunts every page.

But I may assert, with some degree of assurance, that
in their political conflict those great antagonists had never felt
any personal animosity to each other, that their reconciliation was
easy and sincere, and that their friendship has never been clouded
by the shadow of suspicion or jealousy. The most violent or venal
of their respective followers embraced this fair occasion of revolt,
but their alliance still commanded a majority in the House of
Commons; the peace was censured, Lord Shelburne resigned, and the
two friends knelt on the same cushion to take the oath of secretary
of state.
Memoirs of My Life and Writings, by Edward Gibbon

Like Mma Ramotswe herself ''The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency'' film is simple and straightforward. ''It rewards our passion and appetite for mystery and thrillers without bringing all the concomitant rubbish of violence and cruelty,'' Mr. Minghella said. ''It's not about misanthropy in an ugly world. It's about venial sins in a good world.''

venal

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adjective FORMAL
1 A venal person is willing to behave in a dishonest or immoral way in exchange for money:
a venal ruler
NOTE: Do not confuse with venial.

2 A venal activity is done in order to obtain money:
a venal regime
They are accused of being involved in venal practices.

━━ a. 金で動かされる, わいろのきく; 打算的な; （地位などが）賄賂(わいろ)で得られた; 堕落した.

ve・nal・i・ty

　━━ n. 金銭［欲得］ずく.

misanthrope

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noun [C] (ALSO misanthropist)
someone who dislikes other people and avoids involvement with society

misanthropic

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adjective
not liking other people

misanthropy

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noun [U]

whine

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verb [I]
1 to make a long, high, sad sound:
Leon's dog was sitting by the door whining, so I thought I'd better take it for a walk.

2 DISAPPROVING If you whine, especially as a child, you complain or express dissatisfaction continually:
Alice, if you carry on whining like that I won't take you - do you understand!

whine

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noun [C usually singular]
an unpleasant high sound or voice:
He could hear the sound of hammering, then the whine of a circular saw.
She delivered the speech in a high-pitched nasal whine.

whiner

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noun [C] DISAPPROVING
a person, especially a child, who complains or expresses dissatisfaction continually

venial

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adjective FORMAL
describes a wrong action that is not serious and therefore easy to forgive:
a venial sin/error

━━ a. （罪・過失などが）軽い, 許されるべき.

ve・ni・al・ly　━━ ad.

ve・ni・al・ness　━━ n.